Dream Winter Journey to the Arctic: Cold, Snowy, but Magically Beautiful

In winter, Murmansk Oblast reveals a true northern fairy tale: from ice-floating among the ice of Teriberka and meetings with the Sami people to skiing on the slopes of the Khibiny Mountains, walks through fairy-tale snowy villages, and unique gastronomic discoveries. Oleg Nemtsev from Novosibirsk shared which attractions are worth visiting, where to try local delicacies, and how to explore the harsh but captivating Russian North as comfortably as possible.

The Trip Was a Dream

The trip to Murmansk Oblast and the Kola Peninsula was my long-held dream that finally came true. I prepared in advance: bought warm clothes, monitored the weather forecast, and studied how to see the northern lights.

Murmansk is the world«s largest settlement beyond the Arctic Circle. Despite its status, Murmansk is very young: it was founded in 1916 and has since been Russia»s most important seaport.

The climate here is harsh, subarctic: a long winter with polar night gives way to a short but bright summer. The city heroically endured history: it was almost completely destroyed during the Great Patriotic War but was rebuilt and rightfully bears the title «Hero City.» Today, about 280,000 people live here.

It«s worth separately dispelling the myth of the polar night. In the first half of January, the sun indeed does not appear above the horizon, but this does not mean that pitch darkness reigns around the clock. There is a peculiar diffused light outside, similar to prolonged twilight.

What this unique «daytime» light looks like is well visible in the photograph of the new modern airport. Even surveillance cameras blend with the terrain.

Murmansk is a compact city and very convenient for exploration. Two days are quite enough for a leisurely, detailed study. This time is sufficient to feel the atmosphere and see the key attractions.

Route through Murmansk:

Monument to submariners;

Memorial complex «Alyosha»;

Museum of the Northern Fleet;

Nuclear icebreaker «Lenin» (buy tickets online in advance!).

I rented a car from the agency Avtoprokat051. Excellent company, great guys, I took a Renault Duster 2018, despite a mileage of just over 200,000 km, the condition is excellent. (Just a recommendation.)

Teriberka

Teriberka is the village that was the main goal of visiting Murmansk Oblast. A settlement at the edge of the earth, which overnight became a magnet for tourists.

Here they filmed the movie «Leviathan» (2014), which drew the world«s attention to the harsh and authentic life in the polar hinterland.

Imagine a place 2.5 hours drive from Murmansk: a tiny village lost by the cold waters of the Barents Sea. Here reigns an atmosphere of absolute pristine nature, where a person feels part of majestic and wild nature. And it is also a real playground for northern adventures:

walks along the shore of the never-freezing Barents Sea;

swings at the edge of the world, offering a vast sea distance;

extreme ice-floating (swimming in a wetsuit among ice floes);

snowmobile safaris through snow-covered hills;

whale watching during a sea walk (available only in summer);

tasting exotic sea cuisine.

And, of course, the northern lights, which can be seen here on clear nights with enviable regularity. In Teriberka, everyone is eager to see the northern lights; there are special guides who show observation spots or organize trips outside the village.

Northern Beaches

Northern beaches possess a special, harsh charm. Just imagine: you walk along the edge of the earth at -20…-30 °C (-4…-22 °F), and before you stretches the never-freezing Barents Sea. The route can run along sandy dunes or whimsical rocky scatterings—like, for example, on the famous «Dragon Eggs» beach. The main rule is very warm clothing.

I was sure I had seen a lot, but northern nature presented a surprise: for example, I saw grass growing right out of a stone for the first time. The flora and fauna of the Polar region opened a whole world of amazing phenomena for me.

Ice-Floating

In Teriberka, I decided on ice-floating. The procedure is simple: you take off your warm clothes and get into a waterproof suit that retains heat thanks to an air cushion. And now you are swimming among the ice, and you are... warm! The main and strictest prohibition—you cannot turn over on your stomach, otherwise the suit will fill with water. But if you lie on your back, a magical picture opens up: in the gloom of the polar night, swimmers in acid-bright suits look like alien beings. Pure magic and a sea of adrenaline.

Such are the attractions you can encounter on the seashore.

A Bit About Food

As you understand, the specificity of the region and the proximity to the sea offer a very atypical choice of dishes for the average Russian. And all this is very attractive and tasty. Here you can try sea urchins, reindeer meat with lingonberries, scallops, and more.

In general, fish dishes occupy a central place in Murmansk cuisine thanks to the proximity to the Arctic Ocean and the rich fishing resources of the Kola Peninsula. I also recommend trying smoking mulled wine.

Sami

On a journey through the Kola Peninsula, I advise you to definitely visit the Sami. The Sami (obsolete names: Lapps, Laplanders) are a Finno-Ugric people living primarily in the northern regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. They are one of the oldest indigenous peoples of Europe, preserving a unique culture, traditions, and way of life.

I managed to visit Saami Camp (Sami settlement), the location is very convenient, not far from the village of Mokraya Kitsa on the Murmansk–Saint Petersburg highway. I got acquainted with the Sami way of life, how they lived before, how they live now, was treated to delicious tea with lingonberry pie, and the most interesting thing—to pet and feed reindeer. The only thing I regret is that I didn«t get to ride on reindeer sleds.

Apatity and Khibiny

After Murmansk, I went to Apatity to explore the Khibiny from here. Although tourist sites are closer to Kirovsk, accommodation there is significantly more expensive. Renting an apartment in Apatity will cost on average twice as cheap, and by car, you can reach all the necessary points in just 20 minutes.

What interesting things can you see in the Khibiny?

View from the apartment window in Apatity towards the Khibiny. You can see the illuminated ski slope. Local time 12:00—such is the polar night…

Ski Complex

Modern infrastructure, comfort, ideal snow slopes, and pleasant prices. And the level of service here is simply impeccable. You especially feel this advantage during the January holidays.

Important to know: in Murmansk Oblast—the longest ski season in Russia, lasting until mid-May. Just imagine: May holidays, time of polar day, and you are skiing… at one in the morning. It«s truly fairy-tale-like!

Snow Village—this is a whole icy world with musical accompaniment, pleasant to walk through. The paradox is that it«s even warmer inside than outside: outside -30 °C (-22 °F), inside only -5 °C (23 °F). For the Polar region, this is the highest comfort!

Mysterious Forest

For the first time in my life, I encountered such a wonder of human imagination. Essentially, a small part of the forest was adapted into a trail with exhibits. Very many garlands, interesting expositions, bridges and steps for comfortable walks with children. You can confidently walk for a couple of hours, and then sit in a cafe in this same forest and drink hot tea. Unfortunately, photographs convey only a small part of the atmosphere of this fairy-tale trail. A must-visit!

Route through Murmansk Oblast:

Murmansk—sightseeing of city attractions;

Teriberka;

Saami Camp—Sami settlement;

Apatity;

Ski Complex—Bolshoy Vudyavr;

Snow Village;

Mysterious Forest.

Final Impressions

Murmansk Oblast and the Kola Peninsula were my long-held dream that came true. I prepared, bought warm clothes in advance, watched the weather forecast, and read about how to see the northern lights.

The North is a harsh land, it«s cold, snowy, but magically beautiful. The most important thing I emphasized from each trip, besides the beauty of nature and things created by humans, is people. People are the main decoration, meetings with whom create a special impression of a place. And in Murmansk Oblast, despite the cold, I met people with burning hearts, full of kindness and love. In the North, they always help.

It«s always pleasant to communicate with people who, despite everything, love their region, care for it, and love the work they do.